All-star Zim line-up for Lake of Stars

Dubbed The stars are coming home – Malawis World Cup of the Arts and pencilled in for October 15-17, the Lake of Stars Malawi Festival 2010 is slated for Sunbird Nkopola Lodge, Mangochi and will see the internationally-acclaimed Mtukudzi, a cult hero on the African music scene, heading a Zimbabwean line-up that also includes UK-based Shingai Shonhiwa and her Noisettes band.

Also expected to strut his stuff at the carnival are fellow Zimbabweans Tinashe Shonhiwa, already making his mark in the UK pop music scene, and Makoomba – 2008 winners of the annual Music Crossroads-sponsored competition – Inter-regional Festival, meant for Southern African musicians aged under 25 years.

The Zimbabweans will be fighting to draw the loudest cheer in a strong line-up comprising other African greats like Peter Mawanga, Sally Nyundo, Afrikan Boy, Mafunyeta, Get Cape. Wear Cape, Fly, Nomfusi, Mafilika and Aly Keita (Courtesy of the French Cultural Centre).

Eddy Temple Morris, Goldierocks, Malingaka, Jon McClure of Reverend & the Makers, AMOHORO Burundi Drummers and Dj Lady Slips are also part of the concoction that is expected to heal Malawians thirst for the continental grooves. The top flight international musical event, also broadcast live on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), is in its seventh edition this year. We have been looking to book Tuku for a number of years and it is with great pride that we can confirm that he will be headlining this years event, said event founder, Will Jameson.

For us it’s like being able to choose who plays in the World Cup final. Of course there are other great acts too – as with South Africa, we can expect great things from some of the smaller names at the event. Noisettes, Tinash, Afrikan Boy, XFMs Eddy Temple Morris, Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly, plus Jon McClure of Reverend and the Makers will all fly to the event from their various European bases.

Special mention has to go to Shingai Shoniwa (of Noisettes) and Tinash, both children of southern Africa plying their trade in the premier league of Britains music industry, who are returning to feature on home soil for the first time in their careers, added Jameson. Voices will certainly be raised in jubilation at their home coming and it goes beyond music this year. During the event, there will also be a ‘festival village’ a first at this years event, where there will be theatre, film, dance, spoken word, and fashion events, while musicians will do some collaboration works.

The festival goes back a long way. We did start out with many DJs playing at previous festivals, but over the years we have moved to a more live sound and with a third stage we are really looking forward to even more variety, said Kimba Mutanda Andersen, African talent booker at Lake of Stars, himself proud of the influences that will inform the festival’s ‘vibe’.

As all roads lead to the beach side event of a lifetime this October it is befitting that the 2010 slogan for Lake of Stars Festival is Kwende wasope!, which is chiYao for Tiyeni tonse! or Let us all go!.